Studying Health Impacts of Wildfire Smoke

For CDPH guidance on preparing for wildfire, visit the Emergency Preparedness Office (EPO) Wildfires webpage. 

The Environmental Health Investigations Branch has studied health impacts related to wildfire smoke exposure. Wildfire smoke contains many air pollutants that are of concern for health, including particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and ozone. Particulate matter from wildfires has been linked to adverse health outcomes, such as respiratory problems and asthma.  Children, the elderly, and persons with chronic respiratory conditions are especially at risk from wildfire smoke.

Publications and Presentations

• New! Report on the Public Health Impact of Prescribed Fire
• Brief report summarizing the Listening Sessions in December 2020. (2021|PDF)

• Full report of the Listening Sessions. (2021|PDF) Correspondence: sumi.hoshiko@cdph.ca.gov. 
  

• Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrests and Wildfire-Related Particulate Matter During 2015-2017 California Wildfires
  

• Mortality during a Large-Scale Heat Wave by Place, Demographic Group, Internal and External Causes of Death, and Building Climate Zone
  

• A simple method for estimating excess mortality due to heat waves, as applied to the 2006 California heat wave
  

• The San Diego 2007 wildfires and Medi-Cal emergency department presentations, inpatient hospitalizations, and outpatient visits: An observational study of smoke exposure periods and a bidirectional case-crossover analysis. (2018)

• Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Emergency Department Visits Associated With Wildfire Smoke Exposure in California in 2015. (2018)
  

• Development of Methods to Connect Exposure to Wildland Fire Particulate Emissions to Health Outcomes: A Case Study from San Diego County. (2015|PDF)

CDPH Resources

Protect Yourself and Your Home During Wildfire (EPO webpage)

Wildfire Smoke: Considerations for California's Public Health Officials (2022|PDF)

External Resources